This invention relates generally to coin handling and processing apparatuses and particularly to coin processing machines of the type in which the width of a coin passageway, into which coins from coin feeding means are supplied in succession, is adjusted in accordance with a selected kind of coin to be processed thereby to discriminately pass only the coins of the selected kind, which are then counted.
More specifically, this invention relates to a residual coin detecting device which, in a coin processing machine of the above stated type, detects whether or not any residual coins are remaining in the coin passageway.
Coin processing machines are classified broadly into an automatic type and a manually processing type. In the latter type machine, the operator manually rotates a turntable so as to process or count coins while observing the flow of the coins. Thus, in the case where the width of the coin passageway is to be changed in accordance with the kind of the coins, the presence or absence of coins in the coin passageway can be easily detected.
However, in the automatic coin processing machine of a conventional type, if the setting for the coin denomination to be processed is to be changed, the width of the passageway is also changed automatically. If a residual coin detecting device is not provided in the machine, not only the coins but also the coin passageway and the associated parts are apt to be damaged at the time the width of the coin passageway is automatically changed while coins are remaining in the coin passageway.